It is impossible to put into words just how much I miss Tony. With so much pain and misery around, I cannot help but constantly wonder what he would have to say about the sad, sad state of things. I was recently diagnosed with BPD and comorbid depression, and I truly believe that Tony would just get it. He knew what it is like to feel like this every day. I would gladly give an arm and a leg to be able to share a meal with him. Wherever he is, I hope he knows how sorely we miss him.

I would really like to know how others deal with missing him. Are there any specific episodes/lectures/books you turn to?

As my title says, I fell in love with a chapter of AC’sT. His chapter of Vietnam is so exhilarating and feels like I’m witnessing the birth of his love for Vietnam and her people. Idk what it is but, it helped me get closer to who he was as a person. Anthony was certainly a romantic and I love how he was so unafraid to show it.

I’ve searched the internet and no luck! I’m almost finished with reaching Kitchen confidential and was super curious to see like a timeline of places he worked.

https://youtu.be/kxN_qPuefrM?si=d93LF_zZclmescun

After rewatching this movie moments ago and being reminded of this cameo, I wondered how it came about? How did AB become interested in in playing this 30 second bit?

AB kills it in his part by the way, legend.

Anyone knows if there are any other random bits or cameos that he made in the past?

Ps: I love movies about the 2008 financial crisis. I could watch “Margin Call” 25 times.

This month I finished The Bobby Gold Stories. Highly recommend, especially if you’re looking for a quick intro to his fiction. I also read the second Get Jiro graphic novel (Blood and Sushi) and liked it even better than the first.

These are what I have left. I prefer cookbooks on my iPad, which is how I read Appetites earlier this year. Gone Bamboo and Kitchen Confidential I read on audio earlier this year, and KC is fantastic(!) when read by him, but I couldn’t pass up the annotate version in print. He does not read Gone Bamboo, and I think I would’ve enjoyed it more if he had.

I love this Typhoid Mary cover! My hardcover was ruined in a flood 15 years ago, so I’m glad to finally have it back in my shelves.

I’ll make a big post with thoughts at the end of the year if anyone is interested. I’ve also reread In the Weeds, Down and Out in Paradise, and Bourdain: the Oral Biography.

I truly wish Tony had written more. I heard he had some unfinished fiction and a memoir at the time of his death. If you’ve only seen him on TV, I highly recommend his books. Start with KC (on audio) or A Cook’s Tour. You won’t regret it!

Can u help me, Im at Cali Colombia and I’m trying to find the same places that appears in the show.

Just stumbled across this sub and wanted to share that one of his quotes inspired the name of my travel blog.

"Travel is about the gorgeous feeling of teetering in the unknown."

Such a great person…still sad he’s gone.

As the title says, I'm writing a paper about Brasserie Les Halles since this assignment asks to write about important and cultural parts of NYC. For some reason I got some weird calling and gravity to write about Brasserie Les Halles. The thing is however, I only got to know about Anthony Bourdain and the history of Brasserie Les Halles in the past 6 months so I never had any experience with the restaurant ever ( I was 11 when the restaurant closed down ). I think what would help is what your experience with Brasserie was like for anyone who visited? Why or Why wasn't it important? What did it feel like? What was like stepping in? Give me every specific and grotesque detail! It'll help a lot

Thanks!

Bourdain Story. It’s a long one, and I’m not a writer, but I think you all will like it. So please bear with me and my butchering of the English language and grammar.

For the better part of a decade, from 2004-2014 I was a producer on “The Amazing Race”. I was part of the traveling crew of producers that went to every location, as opposed to the “country” producers that stayed in a particular location well-ahead of time preparing for that episode with the local producers and crew. Sometimes, if necessity warranted it, I would skip a less-complicated location and travel ahead to assist the country team if theirs was a particularly intricate show logistically. 

During production of the Race there is very little downtime for anything other than work, as the show moves very fast - each episode really is an actual race from start to finish. And what is happening in the previous episode has an effect on the present one, and all of the ones following. So information is flowing 24/7 across continents and time zones. But every now and then you do find yourself with a few hours of your own. Some choose to catch up on much-needed sleep, some to shop, some to sightsee. I always chose to grab a meal that was unique to that place (you can see where I’m going with this). So when I would get my itinerary for the upcoming season, I would research what I should be eating in each location, and where I should be eating it. And my first research point was always to see if Bourdain had been there, either on “A Cook’s Tour” or “No Reservations”.

In November of 2010 during production for season 18, I had moved ahead from India to Vienna, Austria and was with the country producers scouting the locations for the upcoming episode. We had just come off the famous Wiener Riesenrad ferris wheel (which you might remember from the Orson Wells’ film “The Third Man”) where teams could choose to perform a task as part of the Detour challenge. Upon exiting the ferris wheel car, we gathered to discuss the logistics of the challenge when one off the Austrian producers excused themselves and turned to talk to someone in a small group next to ours. Turns out it was a friend of theirs working on another production. When I turned around to see who they were I found myself face-to-face with Anthony Bourdain (well, not exactly face-to-face, I’m 5’10”, so he had at least 6 inches on me). I thought it would be rude not to say anything as we were only about a foot-and-a-half apart, so I said “Mr. Bourdain, I’m a huge fan of your shows”. He replied “Amazing Race? - I’m a fan of your show”. I then told him about using his travels as my first research point on where to eat before arriving to locations, and was disappointed that he hadn’t been to Vienna yet. He laughed, said I was a bit early, and that they were starting their shoot the next day. He then asked me for the notepad in my hand and wrote some things down, saying that these are the places we are going to for the show, and that I should try them in that order, time-permitting. He handed the notepad back, wished our group a good shoot, and turned back to his team. Him, all business-like. Me, grinning like a school kid giddy with excitement.

As it usually does, there was a lot of work to be done and we only had time to make it to the first place on the list, Gastwirtschaft Wratschko. And it was great - everything you’d want from a Bourdain recommendation!

Fast forward to September 2012, and I was lucky enough to win an Emmy award as part of that amazing team and series (pun absolutely intended). Now, one of the perks of winning an Emmy is that for that for one night (and one night only) while you are carrying the award, you have a golden ticket to Hollywood. You can walk into any of the numerous after-parties going on around town. So after the ceremony and Governor’s Ball, my then-wife and I took advantage and went to the HBO party, the best of the bunch, at the Pacific Design Center in West Hollywood (mostly known for hosting Elton John’s famous Oscars after-party). And it lived up to the billing.

When it was time to leave, we headed to the taxi stand (no limos for us below-the-liners), where we found ourselves behind a tall, single man. Just as the next cab pulled up, he turned around, looked at the statue in my hand, and said “Hey, congratulations - Amazing Race, Vienna, right? - did you get to any of the spots?” I was dumbfounded. He remembered me? That moment that lasted mere minutes? Almost two years and tens of thousands of air miles ago! I managed to stammer out a reply, “yes, the first one, Wratschko, and it was fantastic - thanks”. I then congratulated him on his Emmy (he had won for “No Reservations” the week before), to which he smiled, waved, and got into the cab. 

My wife later told me that the encounter made me happier than she had seen me all night, and that I walked around with a grin for weeks. But not because of the Emmy!  And I’ve been dining out on that story ever since, and will continue to for the rest of my days!

PS - I managed to eat at Gastwirtschaft Wratschko again on another shoot in Vienna in early 2020, just before the world shut down. Sadly, it is now closed, a victim of the pandemic.

PSS - I wrote this because I recently listed a leather jacket on eBay for sale that is similar to Tony’s famous distressed grey leather jacket, which he was wearing that day in Vienna. Putting up the listing brought the memory back. If you are interested, message me and I will send the listing.

While reading the news this morning, I stumbled upon this article that discussed the shift from more populated tourist destinations of the world to more "off-the-beaten-track" destinations. I couldn't help but smile, as I immediately thought of Tony.

https://www.cnbc.com/2024/10/20/travel-trend-in-2025-places-that-are-lesser-known-and-less-crowded.html

Bourdain awarded National Humanities Medal by President Biden in private ceremony today (October 21, 2024) https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/USNEH/bulletins/3bd5b67

I simply cannot wait 🥰

It’s never on the drink menu but the bartender always smiles when you ask them to make one

It seems like every Italy episode was in No Reservations?

The mortadella was cut a little thicker so had to treat it more like fried bologna but fantastic nonetheless. French loaf from a local breadworks and slathered with some mayo/dijon. Topped with couple slices of provolone and a fried egg. Tony inspired me in so many different ways in my life. I like to think he would have devoured this.

Reading Kitchen Confidential again only this time around with a highlighter, typewriter, a camera. By the end to ticket spike a few hundred quotes.

Be a fool. For love. For yourself. What you think MIGHT possibly make you happy—even for a little while—whatever the cost or good sense might dictate. Anthony Bourdain

Sometimes happiness is just a sandwich and tinned fish.

It’s not complicated sometimes.

I know there are a few of his and Octavia’s place in Appetites, yeah? Are there any more online?

Also would love to see images of the apartment he got on his own, too. Read lots that it was decorated like the Chateau.

I recently saw a post about how Tony would hate the new influencer-centric Corner Store. Got me thinking which newer spots do you think would excite him / he would detest? Which neighborhood spots would you want to share with him??

Negroni at Chateau Marmont. Cheers

https://archer.fandom.com/wiki/Lance_Casteau

Live & Let Dine: https://www.netflix.com/us/title/70171942?s=i&trkid=258593161&vlang=en

You’re welcome.